Shoe-polishing machine



,Ma-r. 13, 1923. K 1,443,343

C..A. HARRIS. l

SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

` I .275/VEAN-affl Mr 18, 1923; l 1,448,343..

C. A. HARRIS.

SHOE POLISHING MACHINE.

mso rss. ze. 1921.' a sHmsf-snm 2.

Patented Mar. 13,` 1923.

. narran STATES Pxrlala'rA orifice; f

, CLIFFORD A. HARRIS, F BRYAN, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR, BY -MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 THE AUTOMATIC ELECTRIC SHOE POLISHING MACHINE COMPANY, OF BRYAN,

TEXAS, vA CORPORATION OF TEXAS.

SHOE-PO'LISI-IING( MACHINE.

Application led February 26, 1921. Serial No. 447,953.

To aZZ lwhom t may concern Be it known that I, CLIFFORD A. HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bryan, in the county of Brazos and State of Texas, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shoe -Polishing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning and polishing shoes, and is particularly concerned with means for applying paste to the shoes, and thereafter for causing other means to polish the shoes.

An object of my invention is to provide 'a simple machine having separate sets of paste applying and polishing brushes, to'- gether with means for causing the shoes to be alternately acted upon, by such brushes, whereby a high degree ,of polish may be secured with the usual paste.

Another object is to (Lo-ordinate the above mentioned means with the mechanism for rotating the brushes, and to enable the paste applying and the polishing operations to be effected without requiring a person to move from his chair during the entire operation.

Other 'objects include the provision of means for automatically controlling the cleaning, paste-applying, and 4polishing operations upon the deposit of a. coin, as well as the provision of means for releasing Such coin, and stopping the motor when the polishing operation is completed.

In accomplishing the above objects, I provide tivo sets of brushes, one for cleaning and applying paste to the shoes, and one for thereafter polishing the Shoes. In'the preferred embodiment of my invention I employ a reciprocating carriage on which the brushes are mounted, and I employ means for moving the shoe restsfrom the path of the paste applying brushes into the path of the polishing brushes.. The means for accomplishing the -above 1 objects will be more fully set forth in the Afollowing description, which relates to the drawings, and the essential characteristics will be set forth Lin the claims. In the drawings Fig. l is a 'longitudinal sectionpartly in elevation of a shoe polish-y ing machine, embodying the features of my invention;` Fig. 2' is a transverse section showing an elevation of the-brushes;F ig. 3

yis a plan of the mechanism employed for elevating the foot rests; Fig. 4 is an elevation of such mechanism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section taken through the control mechanism; Fig. 'is anenlarged elevation of the Aratchet control mechanism; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view illustrating an adjustable 'ratchet' control wheel.

My invention contemplates the employ- .ment of at least two sets of brushes, which are adapted to act upon the shoes entirely independently of ea-ch other, while they customer orr person `whose shoes are to be cleaned, remains Seated in one position." In the drawings, I have shown my invention as embodied in a shoe polishing machine of the reciprocating carriage type, wherein the brushes are rotatably mounted upon the carriage, and I Vhave shown means for moving the shoes from the path of one set of brushes into the path of another set of brusheswhile the carriage is reciprocating.

In Fig. 1 lsuch a machine may bevcontained within the housing 10, on which a chair 11 .and foot rests 12 are supported. Within the housing I provide a motor 13 which drives the shaft 14, and is suitably geared so as to reciprocate the carriage 15. vThe means for reciprocating the carriage comprises preferably a Scotchfyoke motion' operated fromthe worm wheelshaft 16 near the center of 'the' carriage. with the 'paste' feeding mechanism, I- prefer to employ a plunger contained within the cylinder 17, and adapted to be operated by the control mechanism shown in Vgeneral at18. vThe above described vmechanism represents, in general, the struc-` ture shown in the drawings, `but a more thorough` description of such mechanism'is set forth in my co-pending application, 7, 1920. n To support the paste applyingand .polishingrbrushes upon the carriage'v 15, I provdefstandards 19, which are vpref erably In connection 12 to be moved.

causes the'gear 56 to be rotated, to elevate or lower the foot rest through the linkage heretofore described.

In the particular embodiment shown in the drawing, the ratchet wheel 69 has twelve teeth and l .have so positionedthe ratchet mechanism that the pawl 675-. moves this ratchet wheel l of a revolution when it reaches the end of its rearward stroke.

It follows` therefore, thatv the gear 56 is rotated g of a revolution, when the pawl 67 engages the tooth 71 in the ratchet 69. The ratio between the gear 56 and pinion is such that 1g o f a revolution on the gear'causes half of a revolution of the pinion 55. Half of a revolution of the pinion 55 rotates the crank arm 52 from the position shown in the full lines in F ig. 4 to the position shown in the dotted lines.V

Vhen thev crank arm is rotated, as descrlbed, then the foot rests 12, being connected to the arm by the four-bar linkage, arerk transferred from the path ofthe paste feeding brushes to the path of the shoe polishing brushes, such position being shown in dotted lines,Figs. l and Ll.

The control ratchet mechanism is shown as so arranged that the foot rests 12 `remain in the path of the paste applying brushes for six complete reciprocations of the carriage, while the ratchet wheel 69 is rotated one-half of a revolution. TWhen the 4carriage reaches the end of the sixth stroke,

` foot rests to normal position the mechanism shown in `general Aat 18 is arranged to release a coin and thereby stop the operation of the motor.

The operation of the machine is as follows p Assuming that an operator is seated on the chair 11 and the foot rests are in the lowermost position, as shown in the full lines in Fig. 1. then a coin is inserted in thecoin chute 75, whereupon the motor 13 is set in operation. lVhen the motor 'is started, rotation is transmitted through Vthe shaft 14 to the shaft 16 and the carriage is started on the forward motion. At the saine time the brushes 22 and 23, 30 and 31 are set in operation. The control mechanism is preferably so arranged that the cleaning brushes 22 pass back and forth across they shoes once or twice before the paste applying mechanism is yoperatedto apply paste tothe brushes 22, such mechanism being operated while the carriage is being reciprocated.

During the reciprocation of the carriage l for the paste applying operation, .the pawl 67 has beenfengaging the, .teeth on the ratchet 69, which teeth have been of such depth that rthenose ofthe pawl is prevented from engaging the arm 62. After the'paste has been appliedanda dull polish produced onthe shoes, then the control `ratchet'is so arranged lthat a deep cutftooth`71 is engaged byv the pawl 67', whereupon the arm 62 is oscillated with the` ratchet wheel- 69.` When thearm 62 is oscillated, toward fthe rear of the machine,"then 'theratchet wheel 59 is rotated by the pawl 60 and the gear 56 be'- .ing rigid with the wheel 59is also rotated..

A rotary motion of they gear 56 is then transmitted-to .the crank arm 52 through the pinion55. Since the ratio between the pinion and gear is one to six, then when the l gear is rotated one-twelfth of afrevolution,

the crank arm isrotated one-half a'revolution. lRotary motion ofthe crank arm is then transmitted through the connecting rod 12. The length of thecrank arm 52, and the arm 51, is suchfthat thefootrests areelevated from the path ofthe paste applying brushes to the path ojf the polishing brushes,

it being understood that the elevatingaction `ing moved the distance'of one tooth'. When j takes place .while the ratchet lwheel69 is bethe foot rests Hare "in, the elevatedf position,

the crank is'on a dead center, so thatdown` ward pressure bv thecustomer would not de.- press `the foot rests..

Afterlthe foot rests are` elevated, the 'car-'i 'riageucontinues `to reciprocate.,` while the .a pa`wl'167l engagesthe teethYin the ratchet rwheelf69,`whichteeth being of such ldepth -l thatthe pawl 67 clears the lowermost Iportion of the arm 62. The lpolishing operation i is then continued until another deepfcutV tooth 71 is engaged by the pawl 67 whereupon thefoot rests vare returned to the original position. `The mechanism 1S is then arranged to release the coin` and to shut olf the motor 13whereupon1he machine isv ready for another customer.I

The twodeep teeth 71ers shown in 6, as ldiainetrically opposite each other, with thev result thatbalf ofthe o} 9 eration is peri formed by the paste-applyingbrushes and half by the polishing brushes. yHowever, the deep notches may, if desired,lbe ,otherwise positioned, so that one sotof 'brushes' operates for a majory fraction of a cycle and the other set for a minor fraction. If `de aired. this allotting of the :cycle may be adinstable; for instance, all of*l the teeth.v may be cut deep enough to 'allow the pawl`67" to engage the arm 62, but those which are not to have 'such operation may be partially filled by removable blocks of shims 75, Fig. 7, held in place by screws 76.

From the foregoing description it will be seen vthat l have provided a machine for cleaning and polishing shoes, which provides separate sets of cleaning and polishing brushes, together with means for controlling the operation thereof, whereby the shoes are caused to be acted upon by the paste applying brushes and thereafter by the polishing brushes without requiring the customer to lmove from his seat. Advantages of such a machine are that ordinary paste may be employed and a high degree of polish may be obtained, since the polishing brushes are not subjected to the application of the paste. Furthermore, it will be seen that l have provided a mechanism Jfor presenting the shoes to alternate sets of brushes, which mechanism is positive in operation, andv is adapted to be co-ordinated with the mechanism for controlling` the operation of the entire machine.

l-laving thus described my invention, I claim: l

l. A shoe polishing machine having in combination paste applying brushes, polishing` brushes, al movable carriage therefor, vertically movable foot-rests, means for causing the operation of the paste applying brushes on a shoe and means actuated by contact with the carriage for thereafter shifting said rests, and causing the operation of the polishing brushes on such shoe.

2. A shoe polishing machine having in combination a paste aplpying brush, means for automatically supplying paste thereto, a polishing brush, a reciprocating carriage for all the. brushes, means for causing the operation of the paste applying brush on a shoe,and means for thereafter causing the operation of the polishing` brush on a shoe, while the carriage is at the rearward end of its stroke.

V3. A shoe polishing machine having in combination a 'foot rest, a paste applying brush. a polishing brush, a movable carriage for all the brushes, and means associated with the carriage Jfor moving said rest with rectilinear motion to change the shoe from one brush to the other.

il. A shoe polishing `machine having in combination a set of rotary paste applying brushes, a set of rotary polishing brushes, a reciprocating carriage therefor, shoe rests, and means actuated by the carriage for elevating the rests from the path of one of said sets into the path ot the other of said sets of brushes.

5. ln a shoe polishing machine, the comi bination lof paste applying brushes, polishbrushes disposed thereabove.,,meansior ,Simuler-sash 'warranties ses rotating' said brushes, shoe rests, and means for moving the rests from the path of the paste applying brushes and into the path of the polishing brushes.

6'. A shoe polishingA machine having in combination shoe rests, paste applying' brushes and a set of polishing brushes,

each olf said sets comprising vertically and horiacntally disposed brushes, a carriage for supporting all of said brushes and means actuated by said carriage for transposing said rests from` the path oi' one set of brushes into the path of another set;l of brushes.

9. ln a shoe polishing machine, the combinationwith toot-rests, of paste-applying brushes and polishing brushes, means for operating the brushes, an index` wheel, means for advancing said wheel step by step, and other means connecting the wheel with the toot-rests. whereby rotation oi fsaid wheel shifts said rests from the paste-applying brushes to the polishing brushes, and

vice versa.

l0. ln a shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot rests, paste-applying brushes, means iior supplying paste thereto, polishing brushes, a carriage supporting all of said brushes, means controlled by the carriage for moving the foot rests relatively to the brushes.

ll. ln a shoe polishing'machine having in combination, toot rests, paste-applying brushes, polishing brushes, a carriage supporting all of said brushes and ratchet means controlled by the carriage for. moving the foot rests relatively to the brushes.

l2. ln a shoe polishing machine, the combination with two sets of brushes, of means for rotating them, movable foot-rests. an index wheel, and means whereby thewheel transposes said rests from one set of brushes to another set.

13. ln a shoe polishing machine, the combination with two sets of brushes, of means for rotating them, movable Jfoot-rests, a ratchet wheel, and means whereby the depth of the ratchet wheel teeth actuates said rests, to shift them from one set of brushes to another.

l lll. .ln a shoe polishing machine, the combination of a :toot-rest a paste applying bruslna polishing brush, means for reciprocating said brushes', shoe'rests', means 'for moving said rests and for causing a slice on the rest to be acted on bythe paste applying.

brush and .subsequently by the polishing brush and means for adjusting the period of action of each brush.

15. In a shoe polishing machine, the coinbination with movable foot rests, of a ratchet wheel, and means whereby the. effective depth of the teeth on said ratchet wheel controls the operation'of said rests. y

16. A shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot rests, a reciprocating carriage, rotary brushes thereon, a ratchet wheel operable by said carriage, and means tov be rotated a certain fraction of a revolution for each reciprocation of the carriage, and means controlled by said-member for raising and lowering said rests.

19. A shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot rests, brushes, a reciprocating carriage for said brushes, an index wheel, means for rotating said wheel when the carriage reaches the end of its stroke, and ratchet means adapted to be operated by said index wheel for moving said footrests. l

20. A shoepolishing machine having in combination, foot-rest, a ratchet wheel, a member adjacent the wheel and rotatable independently thereof, means for rotating said wheel and simultaneously operating said member, and other means connecting' said member with the foot rests, whereby rotation of said member causes movement of said foot-rests.

21. A shoe polishing'machine having in combination foot-rests, brushes, a carriage therefor,a ratchet wheel, a member associated with the wheel, and :rotatable independently thereof, a pawlv carried by the carriage and adapted to rotate said ratchet wheel and member, and means connecting said member with the foot-rests, whereby rotation of the member causes movement of said foot-rests. r

22. A shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot-rests, an index wheel, a member associated with said wheel, means for operating the wheel a certain fraction of a revolution at periodic intervals, and

member to .be siinultaneouslyl rotated during means being connected with the foot-rests whereby rotation of said member 'shiftsz'the' foot-rests. y

Vother means for causingr-said,wheel vand.

vone of lsaid intervals, said lastv mentioned f 23. A Sie@ pointing ,machine hastig/:fin

combination, foot-rests, an index wheel,v

brushes, a carriagegadapted to support allof l said brushes, means for turning said yindex wheel when the 4kcarriage reciprocates`,1and

means connecting?thewheelwith the footrest, whereby rotary motion ofthe wheely is transformed into rectilinear motion ofthe rests.

24. A shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot-rests, a reciprocating carriage, brushes mounted on said carriage, aV Y ratchet wheel, means for rotating thev wheel .l

by reciprocation' of the carriage, a second ratchet wheel lrotatable independently `of said first mentioned wheel, means for causing one of said ratchet wheels tomove the other of saidl wheels, and means connecting one of said ratchet wheels with the foot-` rests. f y

25. A shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot-rests, two ratchet wheels fi' rotatable independently of `each other, means for intermittently engaging vthe two wheels,

wheel is transformed into vertical motion lof the foot-rests. i i

26. In a shoe polishingmachine .they com!A 27. A shoe f polishing machine.havingy combination, foot-rests,two ratchet wheels,`

means for intermittentlyrotatingone ofsaid wheels, an oscillatable arm intermediate said r `means connecting the foot-rests with one of said wheels, whereby rotary` motion vof the ioc wheels, and ka 4pawl carried bythe arm andj4 adapted to engage one ofsaid wheels,rsaid means being operable for simultaneously: engaging the other of ysaid wheels and the arm, whereby rotation of one wheel causes rotation of the other, and links connecting said ,c

last named wheel with the foots'rests.

28. A shoe polishing machine having in combination, foot-rests, brushes, arecipro-r cating carriage therefor, means .for rotating said brushes, an index wheel adapted to be i moved a fraction of a revolution for eachy stroke of' thel carriage, a second` wheel adapted to be rotated at predetermined intervals simultaneously with 'the first mentioned wheel, and means connect-ingtthe second wheel with foot-restsvwhereby rotation of the second wheel causes the .footrests to.. shift from one position to another.

29. A shoe polishing machine having in combination two sets of brushes a foot-rest rest Yfrom one set of brushes to Jehe other.

30. In a shoe polishin` machine, the oomkhination with foot rests, of an index Wheel,

means for advancing said Wheel step loys'epy 10' i and a four-bar linkage connecting said Wheel with the foot-rests, Wherehyrotation oi said Wheel shifts Jche foot-rests from one position to another.

In `testimony whereof, I hereunto alixjrny 15 signature.

CLIFFORD A. HARRIS. 

